End of communication detection

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for detecting the end of a communication is disclosed. The apparatus includes an interface circuit for receiving an encoded signal and a carrier signal recovery circuit coupled to an output of the interface circuit. The carrier signal recovery circuit is configured to output a carrier signal of the encoded signal and a second signal that is out of phase with the carrier signal. The apparatus also includes a decoding circuit configured to decode the encoded signal as a function of both the encoded signal and the carrier signal output by the carrier signal recovery circuit. The apparatus also includes a detection circuit configured to detect an indication of an end of a communication in the encoded signal as a function of both the encoded signal and the second signal.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of and claims priority to, U.S.patent application Ser. No. 14/136,813, filed on Dec. 20, 2013, which isincorporated by reference herein in its entirety for all purposes.

FIELD

Aspects of various embodiments are directed to wireless communication ofdata.

BACKGROUND

Wireless communication is widely used in a variety of applications. Forexample, near field communication (NFC) is a short-range wirelesstechnology (distances measured in centimeters) that is optimized forintuitive, easy, and secure communications between various devices suchas smartphones, radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, and similardevices. Applications include, among others, contactless transactions,data exchange, and simplified setup of more complex communications suchas WiFi.

SUMMARY

Various example embodiments are directed to wireless communicationcircuits and their implementation. Such embodiments may be implementedto address challenges related to detecting the end of a communication.

In connection with one or more embodiments, an apparatus is provided fordetecting the end of a communication. The apparatus includes aninterface circuit for receiving an encoded signal. The apparatus alsoincludes a carrier signal recovery circuit coupled to an output of theinterface circuit. The carrier signal recovery circuit determines andoutputs a carrier signal of the encoded signal. The carrier signalrecovery circuit also generates and outputs a second signal that is outof phase with the carrier signal. The apparatus includes a decodingcircuit, coupled to the output of the interface circuit and to thecarrier signal recovery circuit. The decoding circuit decodes theencoded signal as a function of both the encoded signal and the carriersignal output by the carrier signal recovery circuit. The apparatus alsoincludes a detection circuit, coupled to the output of the interfacecircuit and to the carrier signal recovery circuit. The detectioncircuit detects an indication of an end of a communication in theencoded signal as a function of both the encoded signal and the secondsignal.

In connection with one or more embodiments, a method for detecting theend of a communication is also provided. A carrier signal of an encodedsignal is determined. The carrier signal is phase-shifted to produce asecond signal that is out of phase with the carrier signal. The encodedsignal is decoded as a function of both the encoded signal and thecarrier signal. An indication of an end of a communication is detectedin the encoded signal by comparing the second signal with the encodedsignal.

In connection with one or more embodiments, a near-field communication(NFC) device is provided. The NFC device includes an interface circuithaving a loop antenna for receiving an encoded signal. The interfacecircuit also includes a power supply coupled to the loop antenna. Thepower supply generates a power supply voltage from the encoded signalreceived by the loop antenna. The NFC device includes a carrier signalrecovery circuit coupled to an output of the interface circuit. Thecarrier signal recovery circuit determines and outputs a carrier signalof the encoded signal. The carrier signal recovery circuit alsogenerates and outputs a second signal that is out of phase with thecarrier signal. The NFC device apparatus also includes a decodingcircuit, coupled to the output of the interface circuit and to thecarrier signal recovery circuit. The decoding circuit decodes theencoded signal as a function of both the encoded signal and the carriersignal output by the carrier signal recovery circuit. The NFC devicealso includes a detection circuit, coupled to the output of theinterface circuit and to the carrier signal recovery circuit. Thedetection circuit detects an indication of an end of a communication inthe encoded signal as a function of both the encoded signal and thesecond signal.

The above discussion/summary is not intended to describe each embodimentor every implementation of the present disclosure. The figures anddetailed description that follow also exemplify various embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various example embodiments may be more completely understood inconsideration of the following detailed description in connection withthe accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an apparatus for receiving andprocessing encoded data, in accordance with one or more embodiments;

FIG. 2 shows a symbol constellation having a plurality of encodedsymbols and an end of communication symbol, in accordance with one ormore embodiments;

FIG. 3-1 shows a first circuit for receiving and processing encodeddata, in accordance with one or more embodiments;

FIG. 3-2 shows an example set of signals generated during operation ofthe circuit shown in FIG. 3-1;

FIG. 4-1 shows a second circuit for receiving and processing encodeddata, in accordance with one or more embodiments;

FIG. 4-2 shows an example set of signals generated during operation ofthe circuit shown in FIG. 4-1;

FIG. 5 shows an example carrier signal recovery circuit, in accordancewith one or more embodiments; and

FIG. 6 shows an example interface circuit for receiving and processingencoded data, in accordance with one or more embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

While various embodiments discussed herein are amenable to modificationsand alternative forms, aspects thereof have been shown by way of examplein the drawings and will be described in detail. It should beunderstood, however, that the intention is not to limit the invention tothe particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the intention isto cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling withinthe scope of the disclosure, including aspects defined in the claims. Inaddition, the term “example” as used throughout this application is onlyby way of illustration, and not limitation.

Aspects of the present disclosure are believed to be applicable to avariety of different types of apparatuses, systems, and methodsinvolving wireless communication. Various example embodiments aredirected to methods, devices, and apparatus for detecting an end of awireless communication.

A hardware-efficient apparatus is disclosed for detecting an indicationof the end of a communication in an encoded signal. The apparatusincludes a carrier signal recovery circuit, a decoding circuit, and adetection circuit. The carrier signal recovery circuit determines andoutputs a carrier signal of the encoded signal and also a phase-shiftedversion of the carrier signal. The decoding circuit decodes the datasymbols of the encoded signal, using the carrier signal provided by thecarrier signal recovery circuit. Although the decoding circuit may beadapted to detect symbols indicative of the end of communication, suchadaptation will increase the cost of the decoder circuit and is nothardware-efficient.

Instead, the apparatus includes a detection circuit that detects an endof communication as a function of the encoded signal and thephase-shifted carrier signal. For example, in some embodiments, thedetection circuit may detect a symbol indicative of the end ofcommunication using one of the two signals to trigger sampling of theother. In some implementations, this function may be implemented using asingle flip-flop circuit. Using this approach, manufacturing cost may bereduced in comparison to some other approaches, which use a decodercircuit to detect end of communication.

In some embodiments, an apparatus is provided for detecting the end of acommunication. The apparatus includes an interface circuit for receivingan encoded signal. The apparatus also includes a carrier signal recoverycircuit coupled to an output of the interface circuit. The carriersignal recovery circuit determines and outputs a carrier signal of theencoded signal. The carrier signal recovery circuit also generates andoutputs a second signal that is out of phase with the carrier signal.The apparatus also includes a decoding circuit coupled to the output ofthe interface circuit and to the carrier signal recovery circuit. Thedecoding circuit decodes the encoded signal as a function of both theencoded signal and the carrier signal output by the carrier signalrecovery circuit. A detection circuit is coupled to the output of theinterface circuit and to the carrier signal recovery circuit. Thedetection circuit detects an indication of an end of a communication inthe encoded signal as a function of both the encoded signal and thesecond signal.

The interface circuit may be implemented differently for differentapplications. In some applications, the interface circuit may include asimple circuit for providing a signal to the carrier signal recoverycircuit, the detection circuit and the decoding circuit. In someapplications, the interface circuit may include various pre-processingcircuits. For example, in some implementations, the interface circuitincludes a difference amplifier configured to convert a receiveddifferential signal to a single-ended signal. As another example, theinterface circuit may alternatively or additionally include one or moreband-pass filters for processing a received signal. In someapplications, the interface circuit may include an antenna for receivingradio frequency (RF) signals. In some applications, such as a passiveRFID device, the interface circuit may also include a power supply forgenerating a power supply voltage from RF signals induced in theantenna.

In some embodiments, the detection circuit includes a flip-flop having afirst terminal (e.g., D input) connected to receive the second signalfrom the carrier signal recovery circuit and having a second terminal(e.g., a clock input terminal) connected to receive the encoded signalfrom the interface circuit. In this configuration, the encoded signal isused to trigger sampling of the phase-shifted second signal from thecarrier signal recovery circuit.

In some embodiments, the detection circuit includes a flip-flop having afirst input terminal (D input) connected to receive the encoded signalfrom the interface circuit and having an second terminal (clock input)connected to receive the second signal from the carrier signal recoverycircuit. In this configuration, the phase-shifted second signal is usedto trigger sampling of the encoded signal. In this embodiment, thedetection circuit also includes a logical inverter circuit configured toinvert the output of the flip-flop.

The carrier signal recovery circuit may include various differentcircuits for determining the carrier signal of the encoded signal. Insome embodiments, the carrier signal recovery circuit also includes aphase-locked-loop (PLL) circuit having an input coupled to receive theencoded signal. In some embodiments, the carrier signal recovery circuitalso includes a frequency divider coupled to an output of the PLLcircuit.

The disclosed embodiments may be applicable to a number of differentcommunication systems using various communication protocols such asphase-shift-key (PSK) encoding. While not so limited, for ease ofexplanation, the examples are described with reference to wirelesscommunications using the ISO/IEC 14443-2 Very High Bit Rates (VHBR)communication protocol. International standard ISO/IEC 14443 is theindustry standard for contactless smart cards, and the communicationprotocols associated therewith. ISO/IEC 14443-compliant products provideRF-communication technology for transmitting data between a card or tagand a reader device. For example, in electronic ticketing for publictransport, travelers can wave a smart card over a reader at theturnstiles or entry point, benefiting from improved convenience andspeed in the ticketing process. Such products can be important toindividual mobility, and can support multiple applications such as roadtolling, airline tickets, and access control. One proposed amendment tothe ISO/IEC 14443 standard, referred to as Very High Bit Rates (VHBR) orISO/IEC 14443-2, provides increased data rate capabilities.

As described in more detail with reference to FIG. 2, ISO/IEC 14443-2VHBR utilizes a phase-shift keying (PSK) modulation, having data symbolslocated within a designated phase range of a symbol constellation map.The PSK modulation also has a special symbol, indicative of an end of acommunication, located at a phase outside of the designated phase rangeof the data symbols. One or more disclosed embodiments provide hardwareefficient circuitry for decoding data symbols and for detecting symbolsindicative of an end of communication.

Turning now to the figures, FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an apparatusfor receiving and processing encoded data. The apparatus includes aninterface circuit 102 for receiving an encoded signal. The apparatusalso includes a carrier signal recovery circuit 110 coupled to receivean encoded signal from an output of the interface circuit 102. Thecarrier signal recovery circuit 110 determines and outputs a carriersignal (I) of the encoded signal. The carrier signal recovery circuit110 also generates and outputs a second signal (Q) that is 90 degreesout of phase with the carrier signal. The apparatus also includes adecoding circuit 130, coupled to the output of the interface circuit 102and to the carrier signal recovery circuit. The decoding circuit 130decodes the encoded signal as a function of both the encoded signal andthe carrier signal (I) output by the carrier signal recovery circuit110.

The apparatus also includes an end of a communication (EOC) detector120, coupled to the output of the interface circuit 102 and to thecarrier signal recovery circuit 110. The EOC detector 120 detects anindication of an end of a communication in the encoded signal as afunction of both the encoded signal and the second signal (Q).

FIG. 2 shows an example symbol constellation having a plurality ofencoded symbols and an EOC symbol. The symbol constellation includes 16possible constellation points, which may be used to communicate up to4-bits of data in each data symbol. In this example, the 16constellation points for the data symbols are located in a 60 degreephase range on the right side of the constellation diagram, from 11π/6to α/6. The constellation also includes a symbol located at π that maybe used to indicate the end-of-communication (EOC).

The embodiments are not limited to the symbol constellation map shown inFIG. 2. Rather, various embodiments may be used to detect an end ofcommunication using a number of symbol constellation maps, having datasymbols contained in a first phase range (e.g., the right side of theconstellation map from 37π/2 to π/2) and an EOC symbol located outsideof the first phase range (e.g., the left side of the constellation mapfrom π/2 to 3π/2).

FIG. 3-1 shows a first circuit for receiving and processing encodeddata. The circuit includes an interface circuit 302, a carrier signalrecovery circuit 310, an EOC detector 320, and a decoding circuit 330,configured and arranged similar to the interface circuit 102, thecarrier signal recovery circuit 110, the EOC detector 120, and thedecoding circuit 130 described with reference to FIG. 1.

Different embodiments may include various circuits for decoding theencoded signal, depending on the communication protocol used to encodethe encoded signal. In the example shown in FIG. 3-1, the decodingcircuit is configured to decode the PSK encoded signal (PSKin). In someimplementations, the decoding circuit 330 includes a time-to-digitalconverter (TDC) configured to decode the PSK encoded signal (PSKin)using the in-phase carrier signal (I) provided by the carrier signalrecovery circuit 310. Alternatively, other circuits may be used decodethe PSK encoded signal (PSKin) based on a phase difference between thePSK encoded signal (PSKin) and the in-phase carrier signal (I).

In this example, the EOC detector circuit 320 includes a flip-flop 322having a D-input terminal coupled to receive the 90 degree phase-shiftedcarrier signal (Q) from the carrier signal recovery circuit 310. Theflip-flop 322 also has a clock input coupled to receive the encodedsignal (PSKin). In this arrangement, the flip-flop 322 samples values ofthe phase-shifted carrier signal (Q) at times at which a rising edge ofthe encoded data signal is received.

FIG. 3-2 illustrates the sampling performed by the flip-flop to detectthe EOC symbol. In this example, data symbols are encoded by modulatingthe phase at which rising edges occur in the encoded data signal (PSKin)with reference to the in-phase carrier signal (I). The phase-shiftedcarrier signal (Q) has a low value when a phase of the encoded signal isin a phase range from 37π/2 to π/2, which includes the phase range ofthe symbol constellation having the data symbols. Accordingly, if arising edge of the encoded signal occurs when the phase-shifted carriersignal (Q) is low, the encoded data symbol is in the phase range from37π/2 to π/2. Conversely, if a rising edge of the encoded signal occurswhen the phase-shifted carrier signal (Q) signal is high, the encodedsymbol is in the phase range from π/2 to 37π/2. Therefore, if a highvalue of the phase-shifted carrier signal (Q) is sampled by theflip-flop 322, in response to a rising edge of the encoded data signal,an EOC data symbol (located at π in the symbol constellation) has beendetected in the encoded data signal.

As described above, flip-flop 332 samples values of the phase-shiftedcarrier signal (Q) at rising edges of the encoded data signal. Thesampled points of the phase-shifted carrier signal (Q) are marked bycircles in FIG. 3-2. The bottom waveform (EOC) indicates the output ofthe flip-flop 332 shown in FIG. 3-1. As shown in FIG. 3-2, the output ofthe flip-flop is low when sampled Q values are low and is high when thesampled Q values are high.

FIG. 4-1 shows a second circuit for receiving and processing encodeddata. The circuit includes an interface circuit 402, a carrier signalrecovery circuit 410, an EOC detector 420, and a decoding circuit 430,configured and arranged similar to the interface circuit 102, thecarrier signal recovery circuit 110, the EOC detector 120, and thedecoding circuit 130, described with reference to FIG. 1. The decodingcircuit 430 is configured to decode a PSK encoded signal (PSKin). Asdescribed with reference to the decoding circuit 330, the decodingcircuit 430 may include a time-to-digital converter (TDC) or othercircuitry configured to decode the PSK encoded signal (PSKin) using thein-phase carrier signal (I) provided by the carrier signal recoverycircuit 410.

In this example, the EOC detector circuit 420 includes a flip-flop 442having a D-input terminal coupled to receive the encoded signal (PSKin).The flip-flop 442 also has a clock input coupled to receive the 90degree phase-shifted carrier signal (Q) from the carrier signal recoverycircuit 310. In this arrangement, the flip-flop 442 samples values ofthe encoded signal (PSKin) at times at which a rising edge of thephase-shifted carrier signal (Q) is received.

FIG. 4-2 illustrates the sampling performed by the flip-flop 442 todetect the EOC symbol. In this PSK example, data symbols are encoded bymodulating the phase at which rising edges occur in the encoded datasignal (PSKin) with reference to the in-phase carrier signal (I). Whenthe encoded data signal (PSKin) is sampled at rising edges of thephase-shifted carrier signal (Q), the sampled values are high if thesymbol of PSKin is in a phase range from 37π/2 to π/2, which is reservedfor data symbols in the symbol constellation shown in FIG. 2.Conversely, the sampled values are low if the sampled symbol of PSKin isin a phase range from π/2 to 37π/2, which is reserved for EOC symbols inthe symbol constellation shown in FIG. 2. Therefore, if a low value ofthe encoded signal (PSKin) is sampled by the flip-flop 422, in responseto a rising edge of the phase-shifted carrier signal (Q), the EOC datasymbol (located at π in the symbol constellation) has been detected inthe encoded data signal. In the example shown FIG. 4-1, EOC detector 420includes an inverter 424 that inverts the output of the flip-flop 422 toprovide the EOC signal shown in the bottom waveform. As shown in FIG.4-1, the resulting EOC signal has a low value when the PSKin signalincludes data symbols. Conversely, the resulting EOC signal has a highvalue when the PSKin signal includes an EOC symbol.

FIG. 5 shows an example carrier signal recovery circuit 510, which maybe used to implement the carrier signal recovery circuits 110, 310, and410 of the above examples. The carrier signal recovery circuit 510includes a phase-locked-loop (PLL) 512, which generates and outputs acarrier signal of an input signal (PSKin). In this example, the carriersignal recovery circuit 510 includes a frequency divider 514 followingthe PLL circuit to generate the two quadrature signals (I and Q) fromthe carrier signal output by the PLL. The I signal is in-phase with thecarrier signal provided by the PLL. The Q signal is 90 degrees out ofphase with the carrier signal. In some embodiments, the PLL 512generates the two quadrature signals (I and Q) and the frequency divider514 is omitted.

The interface circuits in the above examples may be implementeddifferently in various applications. In some applications, the interfacecircuit may include a simple circuit for providing a signal to thecarrier signal recovery circuit, the detection circuit and the decodingcircuit. In some applications, the interface circuit may includeadditional circuits for performing various operations including, but notlimited to, receiving signals, filtering signals, amplification ofsignals, power generation, and/or protection against electrostaticdischarge.

FIG. 6 shows an example interface circuit in accordance with one or moredisclosed embodiments. In this example, interface circuit 610 includesan antenna 620 for receiving

RF signals. A difference amplifier 640 is coupled to the antenna 620 andis configured to convert differential signals induced in the antenna toa single-ended signal (e.g., PSKin) that is provided to a carrier signalrecovery circuit (e.g., 110, 310, or 410). In this example, theinterface circuit 610 also includes a power supply circuit 630, whichgenerates a power supply voltage from RF signals induced in the antenna.The power supply voltage may be used, for example, to power circuits ofa passive RFID device or smartcard.

Various blocks, modules, or other circuits may be implemented to carryout one or more of the operations and activities described herein and/orshown in the figures. For example, various circuits and components ofsome of the above-discussed embodiments may be implemented usingdiscrete logic circuits or programmable logic circuits, configured andarranged for implementing the above described operations/activities. Incertain embodiments, such a programmable circuit is one or more computercircuits, programmed to execute a set (or sets) of instructions (and/orconfiguration data). The instructions (and/or configuration data) can bein the form of firmware or software stored in and accessible from amemory (circuit). As an example, first and second modules include acombination of a CPU hardware-based circuit and a set of instructions inthe form of firmware, where the first module includes a first CPUhardware circuit with one set of instructions and the second moduleincludes a second CPU hardware circuit with another set of instructions.

Based upon the above discussion and illustrations, those skilled in theart will readily recognize that various modifications and changes may bemade to the various embodiments without strictly following the exemplaryembodiments and applications illustrated and described herein. Forexample, some embodiments may include a combination of aspectsillustrated separately in respective figures. Such modifications do notdepart from the true spirit and scope of various aspects of theinvention, including aspects set forth in the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus, comprising: an interface circuitfor receiving an encoded signal; a carrier signal recovery circuitcoupled to an output of the interface circuit and configured andarranged to determine and output a carrier signal of the encoded signal,and generate and output a second signal that is out of phase with thecarrier signal; a decoding circuit, coupled to the output of theinterface circuit and to the carrier signal recovery circuit, configuredand arranged to decode the encoded signal as a function of the encodedsignal and the carrier signal output by the carrier signal recoverycircuit; and a detection circuit, coupled to the output of the interfacecircuit and to the carrier signal recovery circuit, configured andarranged to detect an indication of an end of a communication in theencoded signal as a function of the encoded signal and the secondsignal.